Check your oil at the Track!! (long)
12-10-2000, 12:03 AM
#1
Hi All...this is my first post...unfortunately, it's a sad one but with a happy ending.
I bought my stook (silver/red) from New Jersey after a lengthy email negotiation. Flew out on the red-eye and drove it back LA over three incredible days (a warm and clear Labor Day Wknd). I checked the oil during the trip and weeks afterward...it was clean and at the proper level. Odo was at about 3k.
Two months later, I took it out to a track event at Streets of Willow (Rosamond, CA) - non-competition, limited passing on the straights only. I neglected to check the oil level just before the track event (had the car about 2 mo, 6k on the odo).
Streets is at the foothills of a mountain and has some elevation change. They also added a banked turn and new back straight since my last time there. Although I'd been there many times with my VTEC del sol I had some re-learning to do.
During the morning, I drove cautiously as I got a feel for the car on the track. I didn't want to damage the body work (there were more then a few careless types out that day) and my last experience with FR was with my dad's '76 Mercury Cougar in high school.
The first three sessions were uneventful and each lasted about 20-25 minutes, approx. 10-12 laps. After lunch an instructor took me out for three toasty laps...progressively faster and on the last lap hangin' it out quite confidently. He gave me some general tips and encouragement and showed me where the line was on the new sections of the track.
The next time out, I was totally sync'd up with the car and track and having a ball. A few laps into it, two black NSX's joined our group, entering the track right in front of me at the end of the front straight. The lead NSX wasn't being pushed very hard and he let the 2nd NSX and me by on the front straight.
For 8 or 9 laps afterward I could comfortably keep up with the NSX...if he would have let me by, I'm sure I could have gotten away from him. While I was faster in the turns he was yanking me (initially) on the front straight - but by turn 1 I was back on him.
Anyway, after doing this a while (and having a blast), the NSX caught a tire on the dirt coming onto the front straight (while accelerating) and spun out. I went by (finally) with clear track ahead of me...finally an open, clear run...
End of the front straight...downshift 4-3-2, go thru turn one, shift 2-3, go down hill shift 3-2, left hand sweeper, going back up hill...SILENCE...engine stopped...
I pulled off to the side ("check engine" light is on). After a few minutes, got it restarted but it was fried (loud mechanical clackity-clack). I turned it around, shut it down, and coasted back downhill to the paddock area (on the access roads that criss-cross the track).
Spent the next three hours getting it towed to a dealer. After an agonizing weekend of waiting they told me that the bottom end blew up because of oil starvation in the oil pan (only drained 2 qts of oil and some very expensive metal shavings).
While I've heard/read that VTEC's consume oil at the track, I had no idea that I could toast that much crude in a day. My previous ride (VTEC del sol) didn't consume oil on its many trips to the track.
Fortunately, Uncle Honda took care of it, dropping in a fresh motor and putting me back on the road in week
While this story is certainly embarassing to tell, I just wanted to remind everyone to check your oil often and, if you're at the track, after every run.
Keep the top down and the revs up!
Stick
I bought my stook (silver/red) from New Jersey after a lengthy email negotiation. Flew out on the red-eye and drove it back LA over three incredible days (a warm and clear Labor Day Wknd). I checked the oil during the trip and weeks afterward...it was clean and at the proper level. Odo was at about 3k.
Two months later, I took it out to a track event at Streets of Willow (Rosamond, CA) - non-competition, limited passing on the straights only. I neglected to check the oil level just before the track event (had the car about 2 mo, 6k on the odo).
Streets is at the foothills of a mountain and has some elevation change. They also added a banked turn and new back straight since my last time there. Although I'd been there many times with my VTEC del sol I had some re-learning to do.
During the morning, I drove cautiously as I got a feel for the car on the track. I didn't want to damage the body work (there were more then a few careless types out that day) and my last experience with FR was with my dad's '76 Mercury Cougar in high school.
The first three sessions were uneventful and each lasted about 20-25 minutes, approx. 10-12 laps. After lunch an instructor took me out for three toasty laps...progressively faster and on the last lap hangin' it out quite confidently. He gave me some general tips and encouragement and showed me where the line was on the new sections of the track.
The next time out, I was totally sync'd up with the car and track and having a ball. A few laps into it, two black NSX's joined our group, entering the track right in front of me at the end of the front straight. The lead NSX wasn't being pushed very hard and he let the 2nd NSX and me by on the front straight.
For 8 or 9 laps afterward I could comfortably keep up with the NSX...if he would have let me by, I'm sure I could have gotten away from him. While I was faster in the turns he was yanking me (initially) on the front straight - but by turn 1 I was back on him.
Anyway, after doing this a while (and having a blast), the NSX caught a tire on the dirt coming onto the front straight (while accelerating) and spun out. I went by (finally) with clear track ahead of me...finally an open, clear run...
End of the front straight...downshift 4-3-2, go thru turn one, shift 2-3, go down hill shift 3-2, left hand sweeper, going back up hill...SILENCE...engine stopped...
I pulled off to the side ("check engine" light is on). After a few minutes, got it restarted but it was fried (loud mechanical clackity-clack). I turned it around, shut it down, and coasted back downhill to the paddock area (on the access roads that criss-cross the track).
Spent the next three hours getting it towed to a dealer. After an agonizing weekend of waiting they told me that the bottom end blew up because of oil starvation in the oil pan (only drained 2 qts of oil and some very expensive metal shavings).
While I've heard/read that VTEC's consume oil at the track, I had no idea that I could toast that much crude in a day. My previous ride (VTEC del sol) didn't consume oil on its many trips to the track.
Fortunately, Uncle Honda took care of it, dropping in a fresh motor and putting me back on the road in week
While this story is certainly embarassing to tell, I just wanted to remind everyone to check your oil often and, if you're at the track, after every run.
Keep the top down and the revs up!
Stick
12-10-2000, 11:56 AM
#2
Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Chicago
Posts: 1,445
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Sorry to hear about your misfortune, and I'm glad that everything ended up OK. Also, thanks for the tip... I'll be sure to keep a close eye on it.
I know how you feel with the engine problems, we're having some of our own. Not as catastrophic, but it's at the dealer as we speak.
Thanks again for the tip!
I know how you feel with the engine problems, we're having some of our own. Not as catastrophic, but it's at the dealer as we speak.
Thanks again for the tip!
12-11-2000, 09:53 AM
#3
Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2000
Posts: 178
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Definately every track event you should check your oil before. In the first 10000 km the car eats a lot of oil.
I had the same experience with my Type-R. When I bought it new in 1998 I brought it to the track after 2 months and after a few laps I noticed that on the high speed turns VTEC wouldn't come on. I thought I was dreaming and wasn't sure at first. It would just rev but never scream.
After a few more laps I decided that it was definately not engaging in VTEC and I went into the pits and my oil was pretty much empty. I drove to a local gas station and picked up some standard oil and voila VTEC worked again.
I think there wasn't enough pressure going to the solenoid to engage VTEC.. So I was lucky to get a 'warning'.
Rob
I had the same experience with my Type-R. When I bought it new in 1998 I brought it to the track after 2 months and after a few laps I noticed that on the high speed turns VTEC wouldn't come on. I thought I was dreaming and wasn't sure at first. It would just rev but never scream.
After a few more laps I decided that it was definately not engaging in VTEC and I went into the pits and my oil was pretty much empty. I drove to a local gas station and picked up some standard oil and voila VTEC worked again.
I think there wasn't enough pressure going to the solenoid to engage VTEC.. So I was lucky to get a 'warning'.
Rob
12-11-2000, 05:53 PM
#4
Former Moderator
Dipstick,
What group did you go to Streets with? I've done that track 3 days with the Porsche Owners Club. It's a fun track. Have you done any others? I've also done Buttonwillow myself.
What group did you go to Streets with? I've done that track 3 days with the Porsche Owners Club. It's a fun track. Have you done any others? I've also done Buttonwillow myself.
12-11-2000, 06:28 PM
#5
Check our www.speedtrialusa.com. That was the first time I'd gone with that group...a little too big for me though, lots of cars and a few irresponsible folk on the track. I've also gone to Buttonwillow and Streets of Willow with the Cobra club (don't know the website, though...if I find it, I'll post it). The Cobra club guys are very good though, events are usually smaller and very safe.
Stick
Stick
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post